Surfing is a popular water sport all over the world because it immerses surfers in an outdoor activity that allows them to interact directly with nature. Surfing involves all of their senses, from the sensation of the surf waves to the stimulating sound of the ocean, nearly to the point of smelling and tasting the salinity of the sea. Not to mention the breathtaking vista of the horizon. Surfers, without a doubt, can't get enough of this high-octane activity.  

Surfing, of course, is a total body workout. It engages all the muscle groups, from the arms, abs, and lower body muscles, thereby burning a lot of calories.

If you love surfing, learn more about the benefits of this water sport, not just to your physical health but to your mental well-being. 

Why Is Surfing Good For Your Body? 

Your physical body will improve once you try surfing. First, it is a good exercise to maintain your ideal weight. Second, surfing strengthens your overall muscles and bones. 

Third, it strengthens your cardiovascular health because it is an aerobic exercise, meaning it involves the pumping of blood to your heart. This process improves blood circulation, which helps maintain a healthy level of blood pressure. 

How Much Calories Can You Burn In Surfing? 

Surfing is no doubt a great way to stay healthy and burn calories. But how many calories you can burn from surfing is what you will know in this section. 

The amount of calories that you can burn through surfing depends on different variables, and these are the following:

1. Surf conditions 

Also referred to as the strength of the waves, the surf conditions range from small waves to medium waves to large waves. Of course, the bigger the waves are, the more calories you will lose. 

• Paddle-outs are not as tough in small wave situations, and swells are not as difficult to ride. As a result of these conditions, you will most likely shed 200 to 250 calories each hour of surfing.

• Medium waves, which demand you to paddle out and duck dive more vigorously, can burn up to 500 calories per hour. 

• For larger and more powerful waves, you should anticipate to burn 600 to 800 hours. These surf conditions necessitate more strong paddling to avoid being pushed back to the coast, and duck diving becomes even more difficult. 

2. Body weight 

Your weight also determines the amount of calories you can lose while surfing. A surfer who weighs more will lose more calories. 

3. Time spent in surfing 

This goes without saying that the longer you surf, the more calories you burn. Just be mindful because too much exercise and sun exposure can lead to dehydration. 

Which Of The Following Physical Activities Burns The Most Calories In Comparison To Surfing? 

Surfing or running? Surfing or kayaking? What about surfing or cycling? Which of these outdoor activities burn more calories to help you lose weight faster or help maintain your ideal body weight? 

Surfing vs running 

Runners burn an average of 100 calories for every mile, so that is roughly 114 calories lost in 10 minutes. 

Now, if we base it on the weight of a person, a 130-lb individual surfing for an hour will lose 177 calories, but he will burn 472 calories more if he runs. 

Surfing vs kayaking 

Kayaking is also a good way to burn those calories, and it can burn about 346 calories per hour compared to an average of 208 calories per hour surfing on small wave conditions. But of course, the story is different if you surf in oceans with bigger and more powerful waves. 

For kayaking, a 130-lb individual can burn 295 calories in an hour while 177 calories if he surfs. 

Surfing vs cycling 

And what about cycling? It burns up to 500 calories per hour of continuous pedaling. For surfing, you can burn an average of 100 calories per mile but that number can go higher depending on the type of waves. 

Cycling at a moderate effort for a 130-lb person will make him lose 472  calories. 

How To Burn More Calories While Surfing? 

The first is to use a smaller surfboard. It’s because you will be required to paddle more, which translates to more heavy breathing and more calories burned.

The second is to paddle harder. The more intense your paddling is, the higher the amount of calories you will lose. 

While you have no power to control the intensity of the ocean waves, make an effort to surf in different oceans. Each surf spot can provide you with varying levels of swells to ride on. 

Lastly is to go cross-training. Try incorporating other aerobic activities like running or biking. These two forms of physical activities will help strengthen your lower body to help you stand up on your surfboard much more easily. Remember that anaerobic exercises like yoga and rock climbing are sure ways to beef up your stamina, allowing you to increase the number of hours surfing your way to a fitter and healthier body. 

How Surfing Positively Affects Emotional And Mental Well-Being

As an individual sport, it requires tiger focus to be able to catch and dance with huge ocean waves. This requires surfers to free their minds from the stress going on around their lives rather than just focus on the task at hand. As a result, surfing induces a meditative state of mind, almost to the point of achieving inner peace while being one with nature. 

This meditative state of mind releases the feel-good hormone known as the endorphins. This happy hormone helps in reducing anxiety, improves mood, and alleviates body aches. 

Surfing is also reported to aid in the treatment of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. How? The rhythmic motion of ocean waves can aid in relaxing the nervous and muscular systems. Furthermore, completing something new and amazing, like surfing, helps a person feel wonderful and successful.  

Final Thoughts 

Everyone wants to be fit, so go ahead and conquer your fear by hitting the waves. Regardless of whether you are faced with small or large swells, you will surely burn some calories while enjoying yourself.